NEWMAN, Calif. — The West Side Health Care District is seeking to fill a vacant seat on its Board of Directors as it grapples with significant financial challenges, including concerns over under-billing, staffing shortages, and a failed tax measure meant to stabilize its funding.

The seat, previously held by Kenneth Helms, who resigned in March without explanation, represents Zone 3, which includes Stevinson. Interested candidates must reside within the district’s boundaries and submit a letter of interest to the District Office at P.O. Box 746, Newman, CA 95360, by May 20. The Board of Directors will review applications during its May 27 meeting. Questions can be directed to (209) 862-2951.

While the search for a new board member moves forward, the district is also evaluating two potential paths to address its financial instability. A special meeting on March 17 focused on findings from an Ad Hoc Committee, which reported that from January 2023 to March, $337,000 in ambulance reimbursements had been under-billed and under-paid due to a lack of transparency with its billing contractor, QMC. Additional concerns included insufficient full-time staffing within the district’s ambulance operations and errors in tax expense reporting.

The committee outlined two possible directions for the district:

The first option would allow WSCHD to continue its ambulance operations but would require significant financial and structural adjustments. Recommendations included switching from QMC to a new billing provider, a transition requiring $1.4 million to cover six months of expenses. Additionally, the district would need $2 million to address staffing concerns, replace aging medical equipment, and improve operations. To make this plan viable, officials would need to renegotiate a collective bargaining agreement with the union and retain experienced professionals to manage staffing demands.

The second option involves shifting away from emergency medical services (EMS) to broader healthcare initiatives. This transition would require the district to transfer its Local Emergency Service Agency (LEMSA) contract to Stanislaus County, after which another provider would be contacted to maintain emergency services within Stanislaus and Merced counties. Despite concerns from board members and the community, Del Puerto Health Care District CEO Karin Freese assured attendees at the March 17 meeting that emergency services would remain available under the new structure.

Moving away from EMS could help the district manage its financial burdens. With a property tax revenue of $335,000, the district could begin paying down its more than $1 million in debt. Additionally, WSCHD could use its direct assessment revenue of $360,000 to create grants supporting EMS services within its boundaries, including funding for local event coverage, operational losses, and equipment replacement. The district could also invest in scholarships, preventative health screenings, and other community initiatives.

Questions about the financial report and its accuracy emerged at the March 25 meeting, when former Board President Dennis Brazil stated that he had spoken with subcommittee members who were caught off guard by the second phase of the March 17 presentation. Brazil requested that the District’s legal counsel review the matter, alleging that the report contained false information and had not been formally approved by the committee. However, legal counsel responded that the meeting was informational in nature.

Some board members expressed reservations about the findings presented in the subcommittee’s report, questioning whether the data accurately reflected the district’s financial situation. Meanwhile, stakeholders and medical personnel voiced concerns about potentially discontinuing ambulance services.

“The current crew you have is invested, we’re motivated, and we’re already a really lean, mean machine,” said paramedic Delya Stoltz during the meeting. “Please, as you consider path one, know that you have a group of people that you cannot replace.”

As WSCHD prepares to select a new board member and decide its future direction, financial uncertainty looms over its operations. The next steps could shape how emergency medical services and healthcare initiatives are delivered in the region for years to come.

Writer Navtej Hundal contributed to this story.